mark horvath pt 1 :: 2.8.1

this week we talk with Mark Horvath, a homeless advocate whose using twitter and other social media to increase awareness about the growing issue of homelessness here in America. not only does Mark see these issues daily on the streets, he’s also lived them himself.

Mark admits that some of the stories he shares are offensive — but he hopes they make the viewers mad enough they’ll get up and do something.

From invisiblepeople.tv ::

On the street I saw a small girl cold and shivering in a thin dress, with little hope of a decent meal. I became angry and said to God; “Why did you permit this? Why don’t you do something about it?” For a while God said nothing. That night he replied, quite suddenly:

“I certainly did something about it. I made you.”

I once heard a story about a homeless man on Hollywood Blvd who really thought he was invisible. But one day a kid handed the man a Christian pamphlet. The homeless guy was shocked and amazed, “What! You can see me? How can you see me? I’m invisible!”

It isn’t hard to comprehend this man’s slow spiral into invisibility. Once on the street, people started to walk past him, ignoring him as if he didn’t exist — much like they do a piece of trash on the sidewalk. It’s not that people are bad, but if we make eye contact, or engage in conversation, then we have to admit they exist and that we might have a basic human need to care. But it’s so much easier to simply close our eyes and shield our hearts to their existence.

I not only feel their pain, I truly know their pain. I lived their pain. You’d never know it now but I was a homeless person. Fourteen years ago, I lived on Hollywood Blvd. But today, I find myself looking away, ignoring the faces, avoiding their eyes — and I’m ashamed when I realize I’m doing it. But I really can feel their pain, and it is almost unbearable, but it’s just under the surface of my professional exterior.

note ::
some of our listeners have requested we break our weekly shows into shorter segments. so this week we’re experimenting with a two-parter. so be sure and listen to both 2.8.1 and 2.8.2 and then let us know what you think. drop us an email, call our listener line, or send us a tweet and let us know what you think. thanks again for your input thus far!

if you’d prefer to listen to this interview in one full mp3 download, you can do so via 2.8.3 :: mark horvath (remixed)

related ::
mark’s blog
mark on twitter
invisiblepeople.tv
invisible people on twitter
mark’s first night homeless
watch mark’s story

music ::
fast distance – heaven’s melody
derek webb – a king and a kingdom
derek webb – a consistent ethic of human life

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (11.6MB) | Embed

You may also enjoy ::

• 2.8.3 :: mark horvath (remix)
• mark horvath pt 2 :: 2.8.2 ::
• alise wright :: 4.23
• gene anderson :: 4.15